Watts' up? Spotlight shines on local weatherman's latest research

Anthony Watts at his Chico office talks about an experiment he is doing with weather station construction and placementto check the accuracy of temperature readings worldwide.(Ty Barbour/Enterprise-Record)

A Chico meteorologist is garnering national attention for his latest project -- checking the condition and placement of hundreds of weather stations used to monitor the nation's climate.

So far, Watts and his volunteers have found and photographed 63 stations, all available on Watts' site surfacestations.org. Photos show some stations placed in parking lots near cars, buildings and cell phone antennas -- places the guidelines say are off limits.

Watts, and others, are concerned how objects near a station affect what thermometers record. Buildings, parking lots, air conditioners and sewage treatment plants near weather stations may emit heat and ultimately skew readings.

"The reliability of the whole surface temperature record is called into question," Watts said.

The 1,221 stations being investigated by Watts and others are part of the U.S. Historical Climatology Network -- a system geared to report monthly temperature and precipitation records. Some scientists use the data collected from the network as part of their research in how temperatures change over time, including long-term heating trends.

The national spotlight began shining brightly on Watts' effort after Bill Steigerwald, a syndicated columnist based in Pittsburgh, wrote about it on June 17. Shortly after that and a mention on the Drudge Report, Watts' blog on norcalblogs.com -- named "Watts Up With That?" -- received more than 20,000 hits in one day, shattering traffic records.

Next week, Fox News Channel is scheduled to interview Watts as part of an upcoming special.

Watts was initially pleased that his work is getting attention, but he doesn't want it to take away from the research.

"I really want to finish this project because it's important," he said.

Already, some are using Watts' research in the ongoing debate over global warming and the consensus among many that humans have played a primary role in recent rise in Earth's temperature.

Roger Pielke Sr., a senior research scientist at the University of Colorado, said research shows warming trends and a human influence. But, regardless of the global warming debate or policy matters, he said better climate monitoring is needed to determine the extent and areas of the warming.

"It's really for the best assessment of the climate," Pielke said. "We need temperature data that is located in locations that is fairly representative of a large area."

Pielke said the National Weather Service should have had a station-checking process similar to Watts' "years ago." He said Watts' work is serving a need to know how the stations gather data. Pielke's previous research has shown many weather stations have been poorly placed.

"They're very important because this is the data that is used to construct the anomalies across the United States," Pielke said.

Pielke's research group maintains its own blog. He and Watts have corresponded and posted entries about each other's efforts.

Both Watts and Pielke said the National Weather Service doesn't visually inspect the USHCN sites. However, the weather service inspects many of its own stations.

Locally, Watts has his critics who take issue with his stance on global warming. He acknowledges a warming trend, but believes humans have only had a slight impact. He points to the sun and the tremendous amount of energy it kicks out as having a far greater role in Earth's heating and cooling.

However, Watts wants to keep an open mind on climate research.

"I want the science to be right, that's it," he said.

Watts' experiment began in early May. After he failed to win another term on the Chico Unified School District board, he wanted a new effort to focus his attention.

Watts initially looked at how different paints on the weather stations may affect the thermometer readings inside. Weather stations now use a latex-based paint, but years ago they were coated in whitewash. His preliminary tests show whitewashed wood is cooler than one painted in latex.

As part of his research, he wanted to see other stations, including one at the Chico State University Farm. The university's station had damaged slats and a battery placed near the thermometer.

"I realized I had a bigger project to study," Watts said.

Watts hopes he and other volunteers will visit enough sites over the summer to gather enough statistically useful data.

Staff writer Ryan Olson can be reached at 896-7763 or rolson@chicoer.com.

BACKGROUND: Local meteorologist Anthony Watts and volunteers are checking hundreds of weather stations across the country. The reason — improperly assembled or placed stations could affect how temperatures are recorded.

WHAT'S NEW: Watts' research and his Web sites are starting to attract national attention. His "Watts Up With That?" blog on norcalblogs.com received over 20,000 hits on June 19.

WHAT'S NEXT: Watts is scheduled to be interviewed by Fox News Channel as part of an upcoming special. He and volunteers will continue checking weather stations through the summer.